Why China arrested part of Huawei employees

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China arrested 5 Huawei employees in 2018 after they discussed the deal online with Iran.

If Huawei has always denied any relationship with the Chinese government, the latter still shows a real desire to protect the interests of the firm. The New York Times revealed that the country’s authorities had arrested five of the group’s employees in 2018.

According to US media, the arrests came after online discussions of the company’s deals with Iran. Referred to on the social network WeChat, the exchanges in question contained allegations of violation of sanctions against Iran by Huawei. No evidence has been shared on the web, however, but one of the affected employees said he could prove his claims. It was therefore after these discussions that the employees were apprehended by the Chinese government.

Protecting Huawei’s interests
It does not make sense that China would protect Huawei’s interests, even if it means arresting some of its employees. Indeed, the firm regularly positions itself on the second step of the podium of smartphone manufacturers in the world. In the country, it also largely dominates the sector and is positioned as a technological enterprise of choice.

It is therefore not in the group’s interest that information about the breach of the Iran agreement be shared on the web. The idea that evidence could have been presented online would have had a strong impact on the country, whether politically or financially.

In this context, several people expressed concern about the arrest of Li Hongyuan, a former Hauwei employee who was dismissed under conditions which are not yet very clear. Huawei then said the arrest was not due to a labor dispute.

The deal with Iran has already had an impact on Huawei, as it led to the arrest of Meng Wenzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer. At the moment, she is being held in Canada for possible extradition to the United States, which led to the arrest. She and the group are accused of violating US sanctions on Iran by continuing to work with the country when it was prohibited.